Isabelle Terry – Managing Editor
Hi, my name is Isabelle Terry! I graduated in 2024 from Baylor University in Waco, Texas with a BA in Professional Writing and Rhetoric and a minor in Business Administration in the Honors Program. I was born in Denver, Colorado but moved to Texas when I was very young. My family lived in Dallas for a few years before moving a few miles north to Frisco, Texas. Although I grew up in Texas, I have spent a lot of time in Colorado and feel most at home being a “Rocky Mountain Cowgirl.” I love tea, Peanuts Cartoons, fitness, 80s comedies, and writing. Outside of school, I am a University Choral Scholar at St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church. Fun fact, I first came to Ireland on a tour with my undergraduate choir. I loved the country so much I decided to come back for my masters! My favorite quote is a line from Mary Oliver’s poem “The Messenger”: “Let me keep my mind on what matters, which is my work, which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.” I aim to never lose a sense of awe for the people and world around me.
Eva-Marie Semer – Assistant Managing Editor
Hello, my name is Eva-Marie, and I graduated from Concordia University in Montreal with a BA in English Literature and Professional Writing. I am from France and grew up most of my life there. As a literature and publishing student, it would be weird if my hobby was not reading! I also love to go to the movie theatres to watch the latest releases (no musicals though, I cannot stand them). My favourite quote comes from Sarah J. Maas’ debut series Throne of Glass: “Rattle the stars.” It means that everything is possible. A fun fact about me is that I fell down stone stairs when I was young. My left wrist did not survive, but the cookie I was holding in my right hand was in one piece.
Editorial Team
Ellen Lahiff – Lead
Hi there! My name is Ellen, and I am this year’s Editorial Lead for ROPES literary journal. I come from Cork city, and for my undergrad degree, I studied English and philosophy at UCC. I have a passion for all things artistic and creative, especially music, painting, photography, and film. Of course, I also love to read and write. A fun fact about me is that I’m a huge sci-fi and horror fan (I've probably watched The Shining about eight times by now). I’ll leave you with a quote from one of my favourite philosophers, Emil Cioran – “Write books only if you are going to say in them the things you would never dare confide to anyone.”
Laoise Cullinane
Hi, I’m Laoise Cullinane. I’m a 2024 English and History BA Graduate born and raised in Galway. My hobbies include crocheting, reading, gardening, baking and pottery. One of my favourite quotes is, “if you truly want to understand the present, or yourself you must begin in the past. You see, history is not simply the study of the past it is an explanation of the present,” coincidentally from one of my favourite films The Holdovers.
Leah Byrne
My name is Leah Byrne. I studied English Literature at University College Dublin for my undergraduate degree. I am from a lovely little town called Hacketstown in Co. Carlow. In my spare time, I love music, reading, and listening to podcasts. My favourite quote is “To begin, begin” ~ William Wordsworth. One fun fact about me is that my birthday is on International Women’s Day.
Catherine Hickey
I’m Catherine Hickey, and I’m from the vibrant city of Chicago, Illinois. I graduated from Limestone University with a B.A. in English and History, which reflects my passion for storytelling and exploring the past. One of my favorite quotes is from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice: “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” It captures my love for literature and the deep connections I cherish in life. In my free time, I love playing recreational volleyball, diving into new books, and trying out different restaurants around the city.
Lucy Mackarel
My name is Lucy and I’m from Monaghan, though I now split my time between Dublin and Galway. Prior to coming to Galway, I graduated with a degree in English with Creative Writing from UCD. My love of reading and writing brought me here and to ROPES. My favourite quote comes from Charlie Mackesy: “What do you want to be when you grow up? Kind.” One fun fact about me is I have a scar on my forehead from trying to read and walk as a child and accidentally walking into a metal pillar.
Alma Molina
Hi there! My name is Alma. I was born in Mallorca but raised in Cádiz, Spain, where I completed my undergrad in English Studies and Classical Philology. I first came to Ireland five years ago, when I did my Erasmus in Galway, and I promised myself I’d come back to do my masters here. I lived and worked in Cork for a few months, but now I’m back in Galway to fulfill that promise! I love taking walks out in nature, spending time with animals, and reading and writing about the small things in life. Photography is also one of my biggest passions, especially wildlife photography. One of my favourite quotes is by poet Mary Oliver: “You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” Fun fact about me: I’ve been studying and playing piano since I was eight but, like many other classical piano students, I don’t know how to play without the score in front of me.
Samantha del Rey
Heyo! My name is Samantha del Rey, but you can call me Sam. I was born and raised in Los Angeles California, and I completed my undergraduate degree in San Diego, where I earned a BA in Literature-Education & a Single-Subject Teaching Credential at Point Loma Nazarene University. Reading is my absolute favorite pastime, but I also enjoy drawing, writing, and playing Catan. My favorite quote is a catchphrase from my mom: “be like a duck.” Ducks have feathers structured to make water roll off of them and keep them dry. When my mother told my sisters and me to “be like a duck,” she was saying to let negative words or emotions roll off of us like water and not let them get to us. One fun fact about me is that I adopted an adorable little black cat last year and he has been my best friend ever since.
Marta Ricart
Hi! My name is Marta. I studied Audiovisual Communications at one of the many universities in Barcelona. When I am not reading, I can be found practising yoga, watching a Céline Sciamma film, or devouring a fresh cardamom bun from the nearest bakery. My younger sister loves to say my favourite hobby is correcting other people’s grammar (is it a joke?), so going back to college to be an editor only made sense!
Bláithín Ryan
My name is Bláithín, and I am a writer and freelance copyeditor from Roscommon. I graduated from ATU Sligo with a BA in Writing and Literature. Apart from reading and writing, I enjoy tea and biscuits.
Sales and Marketing Team
Ryan Cook – Lead
I was born in Taiwan, and raised in Minnesota. I lived in Montreal, Vermont, Arizona, and NYC before moving to Galway. This is the fourth city in a row I’ve moved to without visiting first! My BA is in theoretical linguistics (tree diagrams!) from McGill. In my spare time, I do digital art which involves tessellated sections of photographs. Favourite quote: “It requires less mental effort to condemn than to think” (Emma Goldman).
Danielle Deonarine
Hello! My name is Danielle Deonarine, and I recently graduated in 2023 from Florida Southern College with a BA in English Literature. I was born and raised on Florida’s Space Coast and I love to play RPGs and read, of course. My favorite quote comes from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” A fun fact about me is that I have eaten alligator before! It tastes like chicken.
Sherlyn Francis
Hello everyone, I’m Sherlyn Francis, and I majored in English Literature in my undergrad. I was born and raised in Mumbai. I read all the time and if I’m not reading then I’d be dancing. I once learned that everyone has superpowers and mine is to talk to animals.
Niamh Kelly
Hey! My name is Niamh and I’m from Mayo. I completed my undergrad in English Literature and Film Studies at Trinity in 2023, before taking a year out to teach English in Vietnam and do some traveling. In my spare time, I can usually be found with a book in hand, and I mostly lean towards Irish contemporary fiction. Other than that, coffee and people-watching are my two main loves. That’s probably why my favourite quote would have to be “all the world’s a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.” Oh, and if I have to include a fun fact, it’s that I’m really bad at coming up with them.
Amy Redmond
Hi, my name is Amy, and I was born and raised in Dublin. I studied English and History at Trinity College for my undergrad. Obviously, I’m obsessed with reading. I’m a big fan of Gothic novels. Monsters, madness, and mystery - what’s not to love? Fun fact: I own a pair of leopard-print roller skates. I’m very excited to be a part of this year’s Sales & Marketing team.
Production and Design Team
Sabella Mastricola – Lead
Hi! I’m Sabella, and I come from Boston, Massachusetts. I graduated from Massachusetts College of Art & Design with a BFA in Animation. In my spare time, I’m learning how to play the piano. A fun fact about me is that I have two cats back home, Binx and Elsie, whom I miss very much! I'm excited to be a part of ROPES 2025 and I look forward to making a beautiful book.
Áine Gleeson
Hello everyone, my name is Áine Gleeson, and I’m on the Production and Design team for this year’s edition of ROPES! For my undergrad, I studied English Literature and Media & Communication Studies at Mary Immaculate College. Alongside books, I love film and TV and I am really passionate about supporting women in the media industry. My favourite quote from literature is: “You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves” - Mary Oliver. This poem is about acceptance and self-love, and it really resonated with me and is a form of comfort and warmth. Lastly, a fun fact about me is I danced ballet for over 13 years from age 5 to 18!
Aleksandra Karbowicz
Hello readers! I’m Aleksandra and I’m thrilled to be part of the ROPES team for the 33rd issue. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies from SWPS University in Warsaw. Originally from Warsaw, Poland, I’m currently studying abroad for the first time. I’m a beginner literary translator from English to Polish, and I had the exciting opportunity to see my first translated book published earlier this year (“Bajki i baśnie koreańskie,” orig. title “Korean Fairy Tales,” by W.E. Griffis). I’m also aspiring to become an editor. In my spare time, you’ll often find me cosy on my sofa, wrapped in a warm blanket with a good book and a cup of tea (although I might occasionally opt for a film or a TV show instead). If the weather’s nice enough, I love taking long walks. And I’m a firm believer in the power of a good nap! One quote that resonates with me comes from Rory Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, my comfort show: “I live in two worlds, one is a world of books.” It captures how I feel about my own relationship with literature and is a reminder of the comfort I find in storytelling. Fun fact about me: I once appeared on a Korean TV show with one of the biggest 4th-gen K-pop groups.
Neža Kokol
My name is Neža, I'm a writer and designer, currently based in Ireland. Meandering between the fields of film, literature, and architecture, I like to dive into the deep-sea dimensions of the human psyche and, with the help of research, daydreaming, and (self)analysis, explore the magical absurdity of everyday life. One of my favourite quotes is by André Breton on Arthur Cavan: “Invited to give a lecture on humour in New York, he [Arthur Cravan] climbed on stage completely drunk and began stripping off his clothes, until the room emptied and the police came to cart him off.” Is there such a thing as a fun fact about yourself?
Hugh McCullen
Hi all! I’m Hugh from Country Westmeath, Ireland. I have a passion for art, tennis and all things literature. I have a playful nature, growing up in a big family in the Irish countryside, seeking adventure and wrecking havoc alongside my siblings. I’ve worked on farms most of my life and consider myself an expert cow milker. I’m excited to pour all this expertise into my work for ROPES this year... somehow.
